Arab states back Saddam
Arab states declared their allegiance to Iraq today, saying that US threats against Baghdad were threats against the whole Arab world.
In a final communique at the end of the two-day meeting in Cairo, Arab foreign ministers registered their “total rejection of the threat of aggression on Arab nations, especially Iraq, reaffirming that these threats to the security and safety of any Arab country are considered a threat to Arab national security.”
Iraqi Foreign Minister Naji Sabri applauded the resolution, saying that all the Arab governments had expressed their “total rejection of the aggressive intentions of the United States.”
Several Arab states had earlier also called on Iraq to allow in UN weapons inspectors as a way to defuse the crisis.
Today’s communique did not mention the inspectors, but applauded Iraq for its “initiative to renew dialogue with the United Nations.”
Iraq says it is ready to discuss a return of inspectors, but only in a broader context of ending the sanctions imposed after Iraq’s 1990 invasion of Kuwait. The United Nations has said the return must be the priority.
“The return of the inspectors is an important step ... and serious discussions are under way between Iraq and the United Nations right now,” said Arab League Secretary-General Amr Moussa said at a news conference after the communique was released.
“Iraq has asserted that she has no plans for rearming, especially with weapons of mass destruction,” Moussa said.
In Iraq today, a leading Iraqi newspaper owned by Saddam’s son said the United States was “attempting to target Iraq as a first step toward controlling the whole Middle East region.”
